LIHU‘E — A crowd of dozens of politicians, county employees and community members gathered at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall on Thursday for the swearing in of Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, his cabinet and the Kaua‘i County Council.
The officials entered the hall in a procession led by the Kaua‘i Police Department and Kaua‘i Fire Department Color Guard, where Judge Jonathan Chun administered their oaths of office.
The hourlong ceremony emceed by Jan TenBruggencate featured a rendition of “Hawai‘i Pono I” from the Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School, the national anthem from county Office of Economic Development Director Nalani Brun, and a mea ‘oli from Breeze Pavao.
Kawakami, entering his second term as mayor, laid out the goals for the next four years of his administration: “Infrastructure, infrastructure and infrastructure.”
Top of the list of infrastructure projects is figuring out a way to deal with the island’s trash. Kawakami emphasized the need to site a new landfill, invest in waste to energy, and employ other diversion initiatives. The Kekaha landfill is set to fill up in five years and the process of getting a new landfill going could take as many as 10, leaving a gap when it is unclear what will happen to the trash.
The mayor also announced plans to begin work on what he described as an “unprecedented number” of affordable housing projects in the coming year, which will result in the creation of 400 new units.
“Affordable housing is not an issue of funding, but one of courage,” said Kawakami. “While our community may say that housing is a top priority, with every new affordable housing development we have proposed, we have been met with community opposition. So I thank this council for having the courage to push through criticism for the greater good.”
The most significant challenge Kawakami faced during his first term was the COVID-19 pandemic, which his administration responded to by implementing some of the strictest lockdown measures in the nation to prevent the limited island hospital infrastructure from becoming overwhelmed.
Kawakami said Thursday that he saw the pandemic as a chance to revamp the tourism industry. “Gone are the days of parading around paradise to one and all,” said Kawakami. “For those of us who are privileged enough to call this island home, we have a responsibility to care for it. And for those who wish to visit, there will be ground rules. Because here on Kaua‘i, we take our shoes off at the door and we leave a light footprint.”
Kawakami easily won reelection in November against longtime county employee Roven Michael Poai, taking home 73.3 percent of the vote to Poai’s 21.1 percent.
The County Council was largely reelected as well, with incumbent council members KipuKai Kuali‘i, Bernard Carvalho Jr., Felicia Cowden, Billy DeCosta and Luke Evslin retaining their seats. Chiropractor Addison Bulosan joined the council and former council member Mel Rapozo returned and was elected chair.
Rapozo began his address at the Tuesday ceremony with a moment of silence for Kaipo Asing, former council member, chair and acting mayor who passed away last month. Asing served a total of 14 terms — 28 years — in the County Council.
“As your council chair and on behalf of every single council member sitting at that table, we invite you the people of Kaua‘i to become engaged, to share your concerns, provide input, share your knowledge and actively participate in government. We are committed to being efficient, responsive and transparent,” said Rapozo.
Rapozo announced that, in an effort to improve community engagement, the council would return to meeting weekly rather than every other week, and that they would be reopening the Historic County Building to the public.
Members of the cabinet include Managing Director Michael A. Dahilig, Chief of Staff Sarah K. Blane, Finance Director Reiko Matsuyama, Finance Deputy Director Michelle Lizama, County Attorney Matthew Bracken, First Deputy County Attorney Mahealani Krafft, Boards and Commissions Administrator Ellen Ching, Department of Public Works Acting County Engineer Troy Tanigawa, Deputy County Engineer Boyd Gayagas, Department of Parks &Recreation Director Pat Porter, Parks &Recreation Deputy Director Wally Rezentes Jr., Planning Department Director Ka‘aina Hull, Planning Department Deputy Director Jodi Higuchi Sayegusa, County Housing Agency Director Adam Roversi, Office of Economic Development Director Nalani Brun, Executive on Aging Kealoha Takahashi, Assistant Executive on Aging Donna Lynn Loo, Department of Human Resources Director Annette Anderson, Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency Administrator Elton Ushio, Executive on Transportation Celia Mahikoa, Assistant Executive on Transportation Leonard Peters, Department of Water Manager and Chief Engineer Joseph Tait, Department of Water Deputy Manager and Engineer Michael Hinazumi, Department of Liquor Control Director Leo Sandoval, Liquor Assistant Chief Stacy Iwasaki, Kaua‘i Fire Department Chief Michael Gibson, KFD Deputy Chief Roger Mills, and Kaua‘i Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck.
